FIRST QTR
2011
MBCA | Carolinas Section THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MERCEDES BENZ CLUB OF AMERICA, CAROLINAS SECTION
New Year, Plenty of New Events to Enjoy in Both NC and SC Are you ready for a great new year? The MBCA Carolinas Section Board of Directors held a planning meeting in mid-January to set the agenda for 2011. And what an exciting agenda it is! There will be several large events, and a smattering of smaller gatherings throughout the year, focusing on a variety of locations in the club’s jurisdiction. Our first event is a regional opportunity for members interested in gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina and Greenville, South Carolina. Notices will be sent with the final details for a meet and greet luncheon in March in both cities. The preliminary venue choices are the Northstone Club in Charlotte and Golden Corral in Greenville.
In April, the club will participate in the Charlotte Auto Fair, which is held April 7 - 10th at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Plans are in the works to see if MBCA Carolinas Section members will be allowed to exhibit their cars at the Car Corral and show on Saturday the 9th. Over 11,000 vendor spaces chock full of restoration parts and cars for sale in the blue-orange-green fields make this show an amazing site to behold. Plus, more than 1,600 Vehicles for sale in the car corral on the track oval and additional vehicles in the green car corral are available Thursday through Sunday. More than 50 other car cubs display their vehicles on Saturday & Sunday. In the month of May, one of our gracious
members has offered to host a social get together at her lovely home in the Columbia area. While we all enjoy our cars, in 2011, more events will be social in nature, giving us a chance to mingle a bit. A long-standing tradition, the annual Dock Party will be in Charleston, SC at the home of Katherine and Henry Dunbar. Depending on the Dunbars’ schedule, the dock party will be in either June or July. If you’ve never been to the Dock Party, this event is amazing. Come to Charleston this year and see why it’s held year after year! Another favorite is back for 2011 - the Tax Free Shopping Weekend in Gaffney, SC. The first weekend in August, we’ll converge Continued on page 2
WHAT’S ON MB TV? CHECK OUT MERCEDES BENZ TV ON YOUTUBE
At Daimler there is every reason to celebrate! The invention of the automobile has its 125th anniversary this year. The birthday celebrations took place at the Mercedes-Benz Museum. With a dazzling guest list this marks the start of the anniversary year. Mercedes-Benz.tv will show you the highlights of the event.
Models, celebrities and lots of fashion: The 8th Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin casts the audience under its spell. Watch the highlights on Mercedes-Benz TV on YouTube. High fashion meets exquisite automotive design.
2011 EVENTS, CONTINUED on the Gaffney Premium Outlets for the tax free shopping at stores like Nautica, J. Crew, Tommy Hilfiger, Gymboree, Nike, Coach and many more. Right off I-85 at exit 90, the destination is an easy drive from most locations in North and South Carolina. The plan for the day will be shopping and a meal together at one of the fine restaurants in the shopping complex. The fall season will kick off with an old fashioned barbeque at the home of Melissa Sprouse Browne and Chip Browne in Columbia, SC. Enjoy fishing on the Saluda River, right from their backyard! Or, have a cold beverage at their Tiki Bar or go for a swim in the heated, saltwater pool. It’s a tropical experience, right in the middle of the South. In October, enjoy the beautiful fall foliage by participating in the Mountain Rallye. A fun tour on windy roads through the mountains of North Carolina, with a caravan of Mercedes Benz automobiles. November will bring the Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance. German cars will be welcomed once again, and we expect to have a much larger presence in 2011
than was allowed in 2010. You can see two completely different shows, as the Car Club Jamboree is always held on Saturday and the official Concours d’Elegance follows on Sunday. A change in procedure, the Carolinas Section Board of Directors will meet in November for the 2012 planning session, instead of having that meeting in January 2012. Nothing like getting an early start! The end of 2011 will be celebrated with our Annual Meeting in early December. Look for information about regional and national events, as we are hoping to participate in activities with other fans of the Mercedes Benz brand. Speaking of participation, without you, none of these events will be possible. Just like anything else, the experience is what you make of it. If you choose to attend and meet your fellow car enthusiasts, your membership will be significantly more valuable. There are friendships to be made here. Come join in the fun!
The exclusive video clip with impressions of the RECOLLECTION QUARTETT event in Berlin where four installations of MercedesBenz Young Classics by Frederik Heyman and four fashion designers were presented.
CALENDAR at a glance
MARCH: Meet and Greet luncheons in Charlotte and Greenville APRIL: Charlotte Auto Fair MAY: Member Social in Columbia JUNE/JULY: Dock Party in Charleston AUGUST: Tax Free Shopping in Gaffney SEPTEMBER: Member BBQ in Columbia NOVEMBER: Hilton Head Concours Planning Meeting for 2012 DECEMBER: Annual Meeting
Every Car Has a Story SHANA LACARIA, CHARLOTTE NC My husband has always loved Mercedes and has had probably half a dozen pre-owned Benz. When we got engaged he traded his 300TE for a 400E, as a symbol of his new life with me. I was quickly converted from a “Jeep Girl” to a “Mercedes Benz Girl” all the way. I loved zipping around in the tank-like eight cylinder while we looked at houses, shopped for furniture, and just overall enjoyed each other’s company. A few months into our engagement I started having terrible back pain and doctors didn’t know why. I tried exercises, yoga, we even got a new mattress, but the pain persisted. I hated to tell him, but I had to let my husband know that I thought the rigid suspension in the Mercedes was contributing to my back pain. I was so uncomfortable that I couldn’t ride in his car anymore. I’m not sure what he hated most when running errands: leaving his car (named Helga) in the driveway to take my Jeep, or my bad driving. Nonetheless, he traded his pride and joy in for a GMC Yukon XL with plush leather
and heated seats, just so I would be comfortable. Fast forward a few months. It turned out that my back pain was caused by a 12 pound kidney tumor that actually had grown up into my heart. I was at stage 4 with Wilms Tumor, a cancer usually found in infants and children. Our whole lives stopped; wedding plans postponed. I sold my Jeep. After an extensive stay at Duke Hospital featuring open chest surgery, and a return to Charlotte for two years of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, I was finally in remission. I fully believe that I would not have made it through without my husband’s care and support. It was not uncommon for him to set up a makeshift office in the clinic while I got chemo, or sleep on hospital room floors while I was in ICU, not to mention handle all the day to day housekeeping and medication schedules. Once life became more normal, I felt so badly about trading in his car that I recently sent him car shopping. We agreed on a $20k budget for a used Mercedes. It didn’t
take him long to find a silver 2002 CL500 at our local dealership. It had 66,000 miles and the final price was around $18k. It makes me so happy to see how much he enjoys the new Benz (named “Clarissa”), and he says that this one is the nicest he has ever owned. Around the same time, I was ready to start driving again. There was no question: I was in the market for a Mercedes. Since I hadn’t driven in over two years, I felt I would be more comfortable in something smaller. I fell in love with a white 2002 C230 Kompressor coupe. It had had only two owners, both female. The first one was a cosmetics representative and named the car “Snowflake.” The second owner kept the name and the pristine condition. It was a steal at $9k and I love how it handles. My husband and I have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to show for what we’ve been through; my health, for example; the knowledge that we can get through anything; and... our Mercedes.
President’s Message MBCA CAROLINA’S SECTION PRESIDENT, RICK DEIBER
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a happy holiday season.
rick@deiber.biz
For 2011, MBCA National has developed an aggressive marketing plan to grow membership in the organization. We understand why they’d undertake such a task – there’s tremendous value in your membership! Members in good standing who’ve been a member for at least 12 months, for your $45 investment in the MBCA, you can receive a $1000 incentive towards the purchase of a new Mercedes. That’s a pretty good return on your investment. But it doesn’t stop there. You can participate in eight regional events, the National events, and of course any of our section events. Plus, you receive a high quality professional magazine, The Star. The Carolinas Star newsletter is brought to you four times a year, and we work hard to make all the events fun and a good value to you, our members. In short, you get a lot as a member of MBCA!! For 2011, we are planning a varied list of events to appeal to as broad a section of our membership as possible. Many of the events are not car-related. You don’t have to be in love with your car to participate – many are social events. Please participate in events! There’s a hard core group of 50 people that participate and we have close to 400 members. We have designed these events to be regional, so that something will be close to you and a lot of driving won’t be necessary. I’m looking forward to meeting you at one of our upcoming events.
NEW MEMBERS Bruce Wendel Eric Muhlbaier Edward Arndt Charles Pflum William Tate
WELCOME!
With Deep Appreciation THANKS TO ROGER LEVESQUE
Our section Secretary, Roger R. Levesque of Easley, South Carolina, has resigned his position as a club officer effective February 1, 2011. We would like to thank Roger for his dedicated service and enthusiasm for the Mercedes Benz brand. His job as Secretary was carried out with efficiency and we appreciate everything he did for our club. The resignation leaves an open officer’s position for the remainder of this year. Anyone interested in serving should contact Rick Deiber, MBCA Carolinas Section President for more information.
Cannon’s
• Specializing in Pre-Owned Mercedes• 2640 Asheville Highway Hendersonville, NC
JERRY CANNON Owner
828-606-7255 Cell 828-692-6541 Office
Will You Be Our Friend? MBCA CAROLINAS SECTION LAUNCHES FACEBOOK PAGE We’ve finally joined the Facebook revolution. You can now find us on the most popular website in the world! Search “Mercedes Benz Club of America Carolinas Section” to find our page. To become a fan, all you have to do is click the “Like” button on the top of the page. Then, information posted on our page will show on the newsfeed on your Facebook wall. This page will be a great way for members to interact with one another. Post questions and comments, and of course recommend that your friends “like” this page, too! Links to each edition of the newsletter will be posted once each quarter, so if you miss the email with the link, you can always find it here. If you’re not on Facebook, consider checking out the details. Membership is free, and with almost 600 million members, you’ll find someone on there you already know!
H & H Auto Service
35 Hunter Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
Proud Members of the MercedesBenz Club of America Since 1983
•Sales and Service of Pre-Owned Mercedes-Benzs •Service by Experts Trained on Mercedes •Great Advice and Helpful Information H&H Auto Body - Check out our website at www.hhautobodyhhi.com
(843) 681-8384 • www.handhautos.com
New SLK: What Do You Think?
Capriccio Ristorante Make Your Reservation for a Romantic Rendezvous!
10% Discount for MBCA Members!
1034 Chuck Dawley Blvd. Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 (843) 881-5550
First, let’s hear the official line from MBUSA: The all-new SLK-Class, one of the most exciting and successful sports cars ever built, is entering its third generation. The 2012MY roadster takes driving pleasure and open-air enjoyment to the next level by blending nimble handling with stylish comfort, striking sports-car design, everyday drivability, top performance and exemplary efficiency. In addition, the 2012 SLKClass is proud to present the world premiere of the panorama vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL, which switches between light and dark transparency at the touch of a button. Exemplary efficiency and athletic flair come courtesy of powerful new 4 and 6-cylinder engines With superb levels of performance, they are more fuel efficient than their predecessors and with unique new safety equipment the 2012 SLK-Class sets the new standard in this segment. With its wealth of technical innovations, the SLK is once again the benchmark in its class. The 2012 SLK-Class goes on-sale in the U.S. this summer. “The new SLK embodies the role of the trend-setter like no other car”, says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “I am convinced that with its passionate design, its high-quality interior and its modesty at the fuel station it will continue to provide an enormous amount of fun on the road in future, too, consolidating its status as a cult roadster.” So, the body style change brings the SLK in line with a closer look to the new SLS AMG, just as the current body style mimicked the McLaren’s long nose. The new SLK is a bit larger and has more torque at lower RPMs. The curb weight remains the same, yet it sits lower to the ground and promises more power. A fellow SLK enthusiast from the West Coast shared that approximately nine months after the launch of the new body style, a 5 liter SLK55 will arrive with an astounding 415 HP. Trim-wise, Designo color exteriors will now be available in your choice of interiors. Previously, you had to order the Designo package, which was limited to their choice of interior. Soon, you will be able to order an SLK in any Mercedes Benz color they have ever put on a car. And speaking of color, did you know that 70% of SLKs are either silver, black or white? The coolest change is the new roof option. The Magic Sky Control can make the roof darken or lighten as you desire. The three available roofs will be the standard hardtop roof, a hardtop roof with a sunroof that has Magic Sky Control, or a panorama roof, which is all glass and has Magic Sky Control. If you want to see it in action, take a look at these two videos: Video One: http://www.mbca.org/news/2011-01-13/2012-mercedes-benz-slk-revealed Video Two: http://www.mbca.org/news/2011-02-02/world-premiere-new-mercedes-benz-slk
Mercedes-Benz Skyland Automotive, Inc.
255 Smoky Park Highway • PO Box 6359 Asheville, NC 28816-6359
(828) 667-5213 • (828) 667-8463
www.skylandautomotive.com
Join or Renew Today! MBCA Membership Application
MBCA | Carolinas Section 101 Medical Circle Drive West Columbia, SC 29169
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID COLUMBIA, SC PERMIT #1098
MBCA CONTACT INFORMATION Carolinas Section Officers Contact List PRESIDENT Richard Deiber Huntersville, NC (704) 948-1433 president@mbcacarolinas.org
TREASURER Roy L. Davis Columbia, SC (803) 331-1852 treasurer@mbcacarolinas.org
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Anthony Santagati Beaufort, SC (843) 522-9444 sandspub@aol.com
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Fred Harris Statesville, NC (704) 902-6253 harrisfred@hotmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT Soren Pedersen Waxhaw, NC (980) 722-5651 vicepresident@mbcacarolinas.org
EVENTS CHAIR Odette Sigler-Pedersen Waxhaw, NC (704) 290-2257 odette@overgaardweb.com
SECRETARY Position Vacant
NEWSLETTER EDITOR Melissa Sprouse Browne Columbia, SC (803) 791-3800 info@mbcacarolinas.org
About MBCA Established in 1956, MBCA has approximately 20,240 active members and 9251 additional household members in 12 regions which are comprised of 80+ local sections throughout the United States and Canada. Each region is adminstered by a regional director who is responsible for assisting and inspiring the sections in the region. The regional director also fosters the formation of new sections, coordinates regional activities and represents the constituents as a member of the national board of directors. Hundreds of events are organized by sections, from social gatherings to tech sessions, from car shows to driving events. Most sections publish a newsletter of information and events and each section has its own officers and bylaws. National Board: Rodger Van Ness, President: rvann40398@aol.com; Steve Dierks, Vice President: sdierks007@cs.com; Mary Alice Cozza, Secretary: marcozza7@neo.rr.com; Laura Simonds, Treasurer: simondsl@pacbell.net. Eastern Regional Director, William Hopper, wwhrestoration@att.net. Additional officers and contact information may be found in the latest issue of The Star magazine. From the National Business Office: With every email and address update that we receive at the NBO, we will send a 10% off coupon for one item in the Club Store. One coupon per member will be sent electronically (so it must include a valid email address). Please send these updates to Geni at geni@mbca.org.